Melrose High School/Middle School Campus Bicycle and Pedestrian Accessibility Project: Final Report
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Melrose High School/Middle School Campus Bicycle and Pedestrian Accessibility Project: Final Report 0 Table of Contents Project Scope .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Participants ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Assessment Observations and Recommendations................................................................................................. 3 Overall Findings ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Campus Arrival and Dismissal Patterns .............................................................................................................. 3 Lynn Fells Parkway .............................................................................................................................................. 3 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Melrose Street .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................... 5 Melrose Street/Lynn Fells Parkway Intersection ................................................................................................ 8 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Ashland and Albion Streets ................................................................................................................................. 8 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Tremont Street .................................................................................................................................................... 9 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Union Street ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Bicycle Parking .................................................................................................................................................... 9 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Student Surveys and Focus Groups ...................................................................................................................... 12 High School Travel Survey Results .................................................................................................................... 12 Analysis ......................................................................................................................................................... 12 High School Parking Survey Results .................................................................................................................. 12 Analysis ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Middle School Travel Survey Results ................................................................................................................ 13 Analysis ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 High School Student Focus Groups ................................................................................................................... 14 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Appendix A: Study Area Map ................................................................................................................................ 16 Appendix B: High School Travel Survey Report .................................................................................................... 17 Appendix C: High School Parking Survey Summary .............................................................................................. 22 Appendix D: Middle School Travel Survey Report ................................................................................................ 26 i Appendix E: Focus Group Agenda and Notes ....................................................................................................... 31 ii including circulation around the Project Scope campus, ingress to/egress from campus, key corridors connecting The goal of the project was to identify potential campus with surrounding infrastructure projects, bicycle- and pedestrian- neighborhoods, and bicycle parking. friendly policies, and education and b. Observe behavior and interactions encouragement programs that will encourage among all modes, including more students (and staff) to ride bicycles or walk to bicyclists, motorists, pedestrians, school. and transit. The project involved a multi-step process: 5. Reporting/Recommendations a. Melrose Street Infrastructure 1. Project Kick-off Meeting: Recommendations a. Discuss objectives and process b. Draft Report/Complete Streets b. Identify key informants and data Recommendations sources c. Final Report c. Establish schedule for meetings/key events The project began with a kick-off meeting on January 18, 2017 at Melrose City Hall. Background 2. Background Research: materials reviewed included: a. Review existing city and school policies that impact bicycling • 2004 City of Melrose Master Plan b. Review existing programs • 2012 Parking in Downtown Melrose report supporting student/staff • 2012 Main Street Corridor Study transportation options and bicycle • 2013 Commuter Rail Corridor Plan safety and encouragement • 2016 Complete Streets Consultation Map c. Review existing planning efforts and documentation for opportunities, Key informant meetings were conducted as consistency, and coordination follows: d. Review available traffic data: counts, • Lynn Fells Parkway coordination call: March collisions, enforcement, parking 10, 2017 utilization, etc. • City Engineer: March 20, 2017 • Police: April 5, 2017 3. Conduct key informant interviews/meetings • Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee: a. Members of Pedestrian and Bicycle April 6, 2017 Advisory Committee b. School administrators Based on the information obtained from the kick- c. Students off meeting, background research, and key d. Parents informant meetings, WalkBoston and e. City departments: Public Works, WatsonActive selected the study area for the Police, Health, Planning and infrastructure assessment. See Appendix A for a Community Development map of the study area. 4. Infrastructure Assessment: WalkBoston and WatsonActive conducted initial a. Identify issues, gaps, and challenges fieldwork in the study area on April 19, 2017. in the existing built environment, 1 WalkBoston and WatsonActive observed Middle Steve Liebman, Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory School/High School arrival on April 25 and 27, Committee 2017. Dismissal was not observed, as the traffic Dan Krechmer, Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory and safety issues identified by the key informants Committee were focused on arrival. Additional infrastructure Liz Foulser, Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory observations were also made. Committee Sgt. John Goc, Melrose Police Department The City Engineer requested a preliminary report David Watson, WatsonActive recommending a project for possible inclusion in Stacey Beuttell, WalkBoston the City’s Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. WalkBoston and WatsonActive delivered a report Lynn Fells Parkway Coordination of infrastructure recommendations for Melrose Nathaniel Fink, Toole Design Group Street on April 28, 2017. Richard Fries, MassBike David Watson, WatsonActive With the assistance of the MassDOT Safe Routes to School Program, online travel surveys were Focus Meetings administered for both the High School and Middle Gabrielle Watson, Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory School. These surveys collected information about Committee how far away from school students live and their Liz Foulser, Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory travel modes in the morning and afternoon. An Committee additional parking survey was administered only to Elena Proakis Ellis, Melrose Public Works High School students who drive themselves to Sgt. John Goc, Melrose Police Department school. The High School travel and parking surveys David Watson, WatsonActive were administered to students during class on June Stacey Beuttell, WalkBoston 6, 2017. The Middle School travel survey was made available to Middle School parents from May 24 to Infrastructure Assessment